A tribute to and catalogue of the works of Alexander "Hugin" Wieser, founder of ambient black metal band Uruk Hai and many other side-projects, including Hrossharsgrani, Hrefnesholt, Elisabetha, B-Machina, Ceremony of Innocence and more!
Here you will find my thoughts on his work and details on the releases as drawn from items in my personal collection, forming a fuller catalogue of his work than is currently available elsewhere online

Thursday, 2 December 2010

HREFNESHOLT / FIRINGHUMAN split

Band:HREFNESHOLT

Title: Hrefnesholt / Firinghuman split

Format: Another tape in the Split Series collection from Wulfrune Worxx (France), cat ref WW99, released in 2010. Firinghuman are a black metal/ambient band from Germany, founded in 2008. Tape comes with the standard black and white inlay, numbered in gold pen.

Edition:Limited to 66 copies, hand-numbered

Track Listing:

Hrefnesholt1. I Bin Da Woid 12.462. Wurzlmann 11.37

Firinghuman3. Silent Winds4. Until the end5. With blood on my hands6. Rotten7. Life8. My body will fall9. The storm at the castle10. I'll protect you11. They died as their destiny decides12. L13. Strangers14. Test song (feat. HypntotiXx)15. Deep trails

Essentially a demo EP featuring Hrefnesholt alongside the first - and so far only - recording from Firinghuman, released in tape-only format on the undergrounds most supportive label, Wulfrune Worxx.

As is often the way with the Split Series on this label, it's a chance to enjoy an element of Hugin's music alongside that of another non-Hugin project, although in this case Nazgul confesses that whilst the instrumental parts of Firinghuman had some merit the vocals left a little to be desired, so it's not likely that the other side of the tape will receive repeated playback. However, every band starts somewhere so good luck to this particular one-man band...

And so to Hrefnesholt, that most excellent of projects! The two tracks on offer here are culled from other parts of the Hrefnesholt discography: 'I Bin Da Woid features on the "Uraungst" tape (covered on 3 August 2010) and also on the "Woid & Geist" demo tape (see post of 8 May 2010 for more details on that release). Both tracks feature on the CD version of "Uruangst" that has literally just been released through the Steinklang label (and which will appear on Honour and Darkness in due course, rest assured), whilst 'Wurzlmann' appears also on a self-titled demo tape also just released on Wulfrune Worxx in no less that 3 different versions.

Nazgul's said it before but he'll say it again - it's a complicated (though rewarding) process keeping track of all of these different releases. Sit back and relax in the knowledge that your humble scribe will endeavour to keep you all up to date with these convoluted twists and turns!

Both tracks fall into the recent Hrefnesholt style of having the sense of being taken into the deepest forests to embark on a meditative and almost ritualistic journey into the early origins of the wood spirits and legends of yore. The mixing of the sounds of nature with sometimes almost tribal percussion and that captivating vocal style really does make you feel that you're in the position of a novice receiving education from a wise elder. You can smell the leaves, inhale the smoke and trip on the roots (in all senses) if you put your mind to it...

In the original review of "Uruangst" Nazgul commented, "For a contemplative evening in around a roaring fire, snow gently falling on the ground outside, you'd be hard pressed to beat this for genuine atmosphere and enjoyment." Given the snow is falling outside of Castle Nazgul this very day, covering the lower terraces and turrets alike in its relentless approach, that comment remains both pertinent and a very good excuse to have dug this particular demo out of the Castle library (Nazgul's copy being #3 of the 66 made).